


Crash

by BreakfastTea



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-15 23:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14151645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BreakfastTea/pseuds/BreakfastTea
Summary: The weather is awful and it's getting dark. They could risk stopping until the worst passes, but there's been rumours of wild monster attacks in the region. Noctis and his friends agree to push on despite the risk. But the bad weather is only part of the problem...





	Crash

**Author's Note:**

> It's Fanfic Friday Number Seven! Wow! This one's for Cocosnowlo ^_^

It was not a good day to be on the road. Rain pummelled the Regalia, the wipers doing little to clear the windshield. Thunder crashed through the grim clouds, chased by blinding lightning.

“You’d think Ramuh was still out there,” Prompto said, raising his voice to be heard.

“We should stop somewhere for a while,” Ignis said. “Wait for it to pass.”

“Agreed,” Gladio said. “Noct?”

Noctis slept.

“How does he do that?” Prompto asked. He turned around, facing the front again. “It’s not fair.”

“You’re just as capable as napping,” Ignis said. “In fact, I think you had a nap at the diner this morning.”

Prompto stopped complaining.

“Where are we?” Gladio asked, slotting his bookmark between the pages of his book and sitting straighter.

“We’re not too far from Wiz’s,” Ignis said. “But I think we should stop before that. The weather’s too dangerous. I really can’t see where I’m going.”

“Can we risk stopping out here in the middle of nowhere?” Prompto asked, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. “It’s gonna be dark soon.”

“Yeah, and this may be the one time I agree to not spend the night camping,” Gladio said.

“Whoa,” Prompto said. “Things are getting serious!”

“And I read about reports of monster attacks in the region,” Ignis said. “Unusual attacks from large creatures not normally known for leaving their usual hunting grounds.”

“Then we get to Wiz’s,” Gladio said.

Ignis drove cautiously. The weather was atrocious. He’d never seen anything like it in Insomnia. “I agree. As bad as the rain is, being caught in the weather and the dark would be a far greater issue.”

“Yes!” Prompto cheered. “Chocobos!”

Prompto’s joy awoke Noctis. He cracked open one eye. “What’s going on?” he asked. He stared at the window. “That’s a lot of rain.” No wonder his back ached so much. It always played up in cold, damp weather.

“We’re headed to Wiz’s for shelter from the storm,” Ignis said.

“Okay, good idea,” Noctis said. They needed to restock a few essentials, and a night in the caravan would give him the chance to enhance their curatives.

“And we haven’t seen the chocobos in waaaaay toooo looooong!” Prompto sang.

Noctis smiled at his friend’s joy. “It’s the simple pleasures, right?”

“Hey, who are you calling simple?”

Noctis smirked. “Well –”

“Shh!” Gladio hissed. “Anyone else hear that?”

“What?” Ignis asked.

“There’s something out there,” Gladio said. “In the trees.”

“Really?” Prompto asked. “Isn’t it just the engine?”

“I can’t see anything,” Ignis said. “We’re almost there. Not long now.”

Noctis peered out of the window, heart thudding against his ribs. What if there was something out there? He tried to see, but the rain obscured everything.

“We should stop,” Gladio said. “Take the risk. There’s something out there. Something huge.”

“Wait,” Noctis said. He squinted, trying to make out the strange shape ahead of them. “What is that?”

It emerged from the rain and the fog directly ahead of them. A huge Bandersnatch, jaws open and ready to snap down on whatever was in its path.

Ignis slammed on the brakes and turned to spin the car to face the way they’d come. The road was far too slick for such a manoeuvre. The car immediately went out of control, skidding wildly. Ignis wrestled with the wheel to no avail. They aquaplaned straight into the Bandersnatch’s range. It raised a front paw and lashed out, its claws raking the side of the Regalia. They were thrown against the car’s doors, the world beyond spinning around and around.

The Bandersnatch struck again, its massive paw crushing the weakened side of the car. Shattered glass washed over Noctis, slicing his skin. The Bandersnatch was on them, batting the car like a giant cat toy. Metal screamed and buckled, the car shooting back and forth across the road. Noctis tried to see his friends, but he was so dizzy it blurred his vision. Noctis’ head slammed into the door, a sickening pounding lurching across his skull. The car rocked to a standstill.

For a moment, all he could hear was the sound of rain pummelling the car. Fighting back against his shock, Noctis looked around. His friends were all unconscious, the car bent and broken around them. Noctis knew they were all alive; he could sense it. When he reached to check the extent of their injuries, a terrible pain shot through his left leg. He looked down and saw the Regalia’s frame had buckled, pinning him in place.

And the Bandersnatch wasn’t finished yet.

Something hot and wet rolled down his face, running into his eye. Blood. He squeezed it shut, his remaining one watching as the Bandersnatch raced towards the car through the rain. It lashed out again, its enormous paw sending the car to the edge of the road. It rocked on the edge, ready to tip over at any second into the forest beyond. Noctis saw the Bandersnatch bounding towards them. If they took another hit, he knew they wouldn’t make it. Head pounding, leg screaming, Noctis focused and reached into the Armiger, pulling out a flask containing his most powerful Blizzaga spell. He launched it out of the hole where he’d once had a window, watching as it hit the Bandersnatch in the face. The creature staggered back with a roar, batting at its own frozen face with an agonised roar.

And yet it lived.

Frozen rain pelted out of the sky, spreading over the road. Noctis knew he didn’t have long. His friends weren’t even stirring. If he didn’t get out of the car and kill the Bandersnatch soon, they’d all die. He wrenched his leg, but the pain nearly knocked him out. He felt his flesh tearing beneath jagged metal. Hot blood ran down his leg, a large pool gathering beneath him. Not good, not good, so not good.

The Bandersnatch shook off the ice. It let rip with another roar, this one loud enough to shake Ignis awake.

“Noct?” Ignis asked, his voice heavy and slurred. He pressed a hand to his head. “What happened?”

“The car crashed,” Noctis said distractedly. He needed a plan, and only one came to mind. “Help the others. I’ve got the Bandersnatch.”

Ignis snapped into full wakefulness. “Bander – Noct! You can’t take that thing out alone.”

“I’m not going to.”

Ignis kept talking, but Noctis tuned him out. Trapped in the car, his leg immobilised, he only had one option left: Summoning. He reached out to Ramuh for his help. Pain lurched through Noctis’ already pounding head, dizziness sending the world careening around him. There was no time to give in. The Bandersnatch was upon them.

The power gathered within him flowed out in one, huge rush. Ramuh appeared, the storm gathering around him. The Bandersnatch didn’t stand a chance. Ramuh’s staff skewered the creature, the bolts of lightning cooking it in a heartbeat. Ramuh bowed and faded, taking the worst of the weather with him.

Panting for breath, body tinging with exertion, Noctis slumped. His headache pulsed behind his eyes, blooms of darkness speckling his vision. He couldn’t pass out. Not yet. Not with his friends so badly hurt.

Not with his own leg in such a bad state.

Wiping the blood from his eyes, Noctis accessed the Armiger and pulled out Hi-Elixirs for everyone. He passed one to Ignis. Ignis took it, holding it like he had no idea what it was. Noctis leaned over, wrapped his hands around Ignis’, helping him crack it. The magic washed over him, healing his wounds.

Ignis looked up, eyes focusing. Guilt swamped his features. “Noct, you’re hurt.”

Noctis handed over the other Hi-Elixirs. “Help the others.”

“You’re bleeding. And these are Hi-Elixirs. Aren’t these the hardest to make? If we deplete our supplies, we’ll be in real trouble if there’s a more serious – ”

“Ignis!” Noctis snapped. “Forget about it. Help the others.”

“But –”

“Stop arguing with me!”

Ignis flinched, but took the Hi-Elixirs and did as he was told.

Noctis returned his attention to his leg. The bleeding had slowed, but he knew he’d lost too much. His head swam, the world wobbling like he was staring at it through a heat haze. He needed to free his leg, but how? He pressed against the metal. It moved. Okay, he could work with that. Gathering the shreds of his concentration, he summoned a shorter blade from the Armiger and carefully slid it between his leg and the car. Gripping the hilt, Noctis pressed his weight against it. Metal groaned as it shifted. Noctis wiggled his leg, working it out of the gap inch by agonising inch. His arms trembled, the blood-loss threatening to overwhelm him. He had to hold on until his leg was free.

And then, with one final tear, his leg popped free. Noctis fell back, colliding with Gladio.

“Ow,” Gladio grumbled.

“Sorry,” Noctis said, his voice thin with pain and exhaustion. Summoning was easier now that he’d done it so much, but it still took a lot out of him. And right now, he had nearly nothing left. His vision blackened, but he clung on. He had to stay awake. “You okay?”

“Head hurts like hell, but the Hi-Elixir’s working well.”

“Good,” Noctis said. He cracked open his own Hi-Elixir. His leg stopped bleeding, but something deep inside still felt very wrong. If he’d broken it, he was in trouble. He didn’t have the strength right now for more magic.

“Where’d the Bandersnatch go?” Prompto asked. He blinked hard, wiping blood from a cut on the side of his head. He was paler than usual, his freckles standing out. He moved to sit upright, wincing as he did so. “I didn’t dream that, did I?”

“No, you didn’t. Noct summoned Ramuh,” Ignis said.

Prompto raised his eyebrows. “Thanks for that.” He looked at the others. “Is everyone alright?”

Everyone was not alright, but the curatives had done their work to stop the worst of the bleeding. Noctis knew Hi-Elixirs could work miracles, but they were all still injured. And Ignis was right; Hi-Elixirs did require a lot of magical power to create, along with a lot of concentration. They were strictly for emergency use only. There was no way he could create more right now. His friends would have to endure their lingering injuries. And he knew something wasn’t right in his leg. Whatever it was, they could deal with it at Wiz’s.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“Be careful,” Ignis said.

They worked their way out of the wreckage. Gladio supported Noctis. The instant his right foot hit the ground, agony screamed through his leg. Bone crunched somewhere in his shin. Gladio grabbed him before he could hit the sodden road.

“Shit,” Gladio said. “I think that’s broken.”

“We’ll deal with it later,” Noctis said, teeth clenched. He blinked hard, desperately trying to keep himself from passing out. Pain crashed over him in hot, nauseating waves. He breathed slowly. They needed to move. None of them were in any shape for another fight. “Let’s get to Wiz’s place.”

“I’m sorry,” Ignis said. “This is my fault. I should’ve taken more care. I didn’t put enough stock in those rumours and the weather –”

“You didn’t know the rumours were about a Bandersnatch. This isn’t on you,” Noctis said, keeping the weight off his bad leg. He hopped awkwardly, every movement sending pain jolting through his body and into his head. “There was nothing you could do.”

Ignis wouldn’t accept it. “No, no, I drove too fast and now the car –”

“Ignis!” Noctis’ voice came out loud and annoyed. He was in too much pain to deal with Ignis acting like the whole thing was his fault. “It was an accident.”

“He’s right,” Gladio said.

“Definitely right,” Prompto said.

Ignis didn’t reply.

Noctis knew his friend felt guilty, but now wasn’t the time or the place to deal with it. “We need to get out of here before night falls.”

“Yes. Yes, of course.” Ignis ran his hands through his hair and nudged his glasses up his nose. “Let’s go.”

Ignis took the lead. Noctis caught Prompto’s gaze. Sharp as his shooting, Prompto nodded and moved as fast as he could to catch up with Ignis, keeping him company.

Gladio helped Noctis along the road, dragging him on when necessary. Noctis swallowed complaints, refused to give into the pain and the exhaustion, even if he did have to chew the inside of his mouth into bloody, fleshy pulp to keep from passing out. He kept a watchful eye on his friends, too, noting their injuries. Most were cuts and bruises, but they all had head injuries that would need monitoring.

Or another good dose of Elixir. Unfortunately, they were all out. And there weren’t any hospitals anywhere nearby. Tonight, at least, they’d be stuck with basic first aid.

By the time they reached Wiz’s, Ignis kept one hand pressed against his head at all times, Prompto somehow managed to look paler than before, and a wound on Gladio’s head reopened. Noctis could barely keep his eyes open, pain in his leg and his aching back the only things keeping him conscious. Wiz caught sight of them and ran to help.

“Caravan,” he ordered. “Now.” He looked over his shoulder and called to one of his employees. “Grab the first aid supplies!”

The woman ran off to do as she was told. Wiz helped them to the caravan. Noctis murmured a thank you, too tired to offer anything else.

“Forget it,” Wiz said, sitting Ignis and Prompto at the caravan’s small kitchen table while Gladio helped Noctis to the bed. “I owe you four more than I can even say. We’ll get you patched up.”

Conversation was thin. Now that he knew they were all safe and warm, Noctis drifted in and out, the pain in his leg subsumed by his own exhaustion. He slipped out of reality.

Until someone touched his leg.

Pain juddered through him. He snapped awake with a harsh cry.

“Sorry.” It was Wiz. “Your leg’s broken, kid. The others tell me you’ve got magic. Might be time to use it.”

“They okay?” Noctis asked. He tried to sit up and see them, but Wiz pushed him back against the pillows.

“Banged up and sore, but they’ll live. They’re resting right now over at my place. More room for ‘em all there while we’re fixing up your leg.” Wiz chuckled. “They didn’t wanna leave you, but they were too tired to put up much of a fight. They’ll be back in the morning, providing they get enough rest.”

Noctis relaxed. That’s exactly what his friends needed.

Wiz clapped his hands. “Come on, magic. Heal that leg.”

Noctis shook his leg, shaky with pain and fatigue. “Too tired.” The cost of Summoning Ramuh was hitting him now. He had to sleep.

“Alright,” Wiz said. “We’re gonna have to splint it. I’d say it ain’t too bad a break, but you don’t wanna accidentally move and make it worse.”

Noctis nodded. It was going to hurt, but he couldn’t do anything about it. Tense, he said nothing as Wiz and his employee carefully moved his leg out straight. Tears of pain pricked his eyes, but he didn’t allow them to fall. He closed his eyes, breathing deep, focusing on anything other than the burning pain in his leg. He swallowed, desperate to not throw up.

“Almost there,” Wiz said. “Then you can rest.”

A few minutes later it was over. Wiz set Noctis’ leg against the bed, picked up a bottle of water and a pack of painkillers. “Here, this’ll help.”

“Thanks.” Noctis accepted the medicine, knocking the pills back.

“Good lad. Get some rest.”

Wiz and his employee stepped out, closing the door behind him. As the pain subsided, Noctis relaxed. He was worried about his friends, knew he should reach for his phone and message them to be certain they were alright.

He fell asleep before he even managed to dig his phone out of his pocket.

* * *

Prompto awoke the following morning to find Gladio snoring and Ignis missing. He sat up carefully, his body still aching in the aftermath of the crash yesterday. Stiff and sore, he eased his way out of bed. He wanted to check on Noctis, make sure he was alright. His leg hadn’t looked good yesterday.

Shuffling out of Wiz’s guest room, Prompto found himself in the large, open-plan kitchen/lounge. Wiz was there, sipping coffee. “Morning,” he said. “Your other friends are in the caravan if you’re wondering where they’re at.”

Prompto nodded. “Thanks.” He moved to the door.

“Ah, not yet. Breakfast first. Take whatever you can find,” Wiz said. “Gotta keep your strength up.”

Prompto’s stomach took the cue and growled loudly. He laughed nervously, poured himself a glass of juice and grabbed a few pieces of fruit from the bowl. Ten minutes later, he’d inhaled the lot, hungrier than he’d realised. Full and ready to go, he thanked Wiz and headed out. The storm settled, the sun peeking out from behind the grey clouds. The chocobos were already out, pecking at the ground. Prompto smiled at the sight of them. He’d definitely have to capture more photos of them later.

He headed over to the caravan. Sliding in, he finally found Ignis sitting at the caravan’s small table. “Hey. Morning,” Prompto said.

Ignis looked up. “Good morning.” His voice was low.

“How are you?” Prompto asked. “Your head okay?”

“Sore, but I’ll live. Yourself?”

“Yeah, same.” Prompto glanced down the caravan to the beds. Noctis was there, still sleeping. “He okay?”

“We need to wake him up,” Ignis said. “He needs to heal himself.”

“Okay,” Prompto said. “I’ll wake him up.”

He headed to the back of the caravan. His friend looked uncomfortable; his face pinched and flushed with pain and fever. Wincing, Prompto saw Noctis’ splinted leg. It was unnaturally swollen, the bone within still broken. If they could get to a hospital, Noctis would be able to have x-rays and proper treatment. Out here, they only had his magic and first aid to rely on.

Prompto placed a hand on Noctis’ shoulder. “Noct? You gotta wake up.”

Noctis stirred. His glazed eyes opened. “Prompto?” his voice was garbled with pain and sleep. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Ignis said you need to wake up and heal your leg.”

Noctis made a face.

“Something wrong?”

“No. Just tired. It’s early.”

“Yeah, okay, it kinda is. But your leg looks like it hurts. Let’s get it fixed up.”

“Okay.” Noctis scrubbed at his face. “I can do this.”

Noctis breathed deep and got to work. He wasn’t gifted at using raw magic; he tended to overdo it. Still, if he overdid it with healing magic, he’d only make everyone feel super great. He knew his friends needed the extra healing, and this was the least he owed them. Adding a little extra power, he wove the magic as best he could. It was hard, shaping the Crystal’s energy into a powerful healing spell when his leg ached fiercely. His mind wanted to run off in a dozen directions at once, but he scooped up all his thoughts and focused everything into the Curaga magic his dad and the Kingsglaive used. He pictured the green magic wrapping around his leg, healing the cracked and broken bone. He envisioned it flowing out of him and suffusing the air, healing anyone in reach. The flow of magic soothed him, taking him away from the pain in his leg. Somewhere, he thought he heard Prompto’s gasp of amazement. He tuned it out. He stayed with the magic until he felt better.

He opened his eyes. The world swam around him. Cozy and drowsy, he was asleep again before he could stop himself.

Prompto looked to Ignis. “Uh, I think he did it.” He shook himself. “I feel kinda tingly. Is that normal?” The lingering aches and pains were gone. He was completely restored.

“He cast a powerful Curaga. I should think everyone at the Outpost feels better,” Ignis said. He settled himself at the table once again, still looking grim.

Turning to face Ignis, Prompto frowned. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”

Ignis said nothing.

Prompto frowned. This wasn’t like Ignis at all. “Seriously, it was an accident.”

“I should’ve taken more precautions,” Ignis said.

“What? No way. And if you’re taking the blame, so am I. And so’s Gladio. And Noct, too. He… he was sleeping! He should’ve been awake and… and… er… doing something.”

“Prompto –”

“No,” Prompto said firmly. “If it’s your fault, it’s all our faults.”

“He’s right y’know.” Gladio stepped in. He had a brown paper bag, food and cans of Ebony poking out the top. “None of us could’ve stopped it. It was an accident.”

Ignis sighed. “How are you?”

“Fine. Feels like Noct’s magic fixed everything. Ignis, are you hearing us? Don’t take this on yourself.” Gladio held out a can of Ebony. “We’re okay. We’re alive. And I already called Cindy. She’s on her way.”

“Aw, I wanted to call her!” Prompto said. “I can’t believe you did that behind my back.”

Gladio smirked. “Next time.”

“There won’t be a next time,” Ignis snapped.

Prompto flinched. “Ignis…”

Gladio pressed the Ebony into Ignis’ hand. “It’s a joke,” he said.

Ignis took the can. “I’m not ready for jokes just yet.”

The day passed quietly. Noctis slept the sleep of the magically exhausted. Prompto stepped out to check out the chocobos, Gladio ran through his usual exercises before leaving to check on the car, and Ignis stayed at Noctis’ side. Intellectually, he knew the others were right. And yet the guilt wouldn’t let go.

Noctis woke in the afternoon. He looked significantly better. He didn’t even try to roll over and go back to sleep. “Ignis? You okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Ignis said.

“For what?” Noctis asked. He sat up, reaching for the splint he no longer needed.

“For this. For your injuries. For the state of the car.”

“It was an accident,” Noctis said.

“I still bear some of the responsibility.”

“No, you don’t. We all knew there were rumours of monster attacks in the area and we all agreed to come here. You didn’t force anyone, and just because you were driving doesn’t make you responsible. I’m glad you were driving. I would’ve sent us crashing into a tree.”

“Noct, I could’ve stopped sooner. I should have known better.”

“Yeah, and I should’ve known better when Dad sent us out of the city, and yet he’s dead and the city’s in the Empire’s hands.” The words were bitter and hurried.

Ignis stared at Noctis.

Noctis sighed. “None of us can see the future. We had no idea that Bandersnatch was out there. Stop taking all the blame onto yourself. It was an accident. The weather was awful and we got unlucky.”

Ignis tapped his glasses up his nose. “I can see I’ve already lost this fight.”

Noctis smirked. “Yeah, you have.”

“Thank you,” Ignis said.

“Any time.” Noctis tried to untie the knots splinting his leg. It was no good. He groaned. “Can you help?”

“Of course.” Ignis worked the knots, undoing them one by one. “You did well with your magic. Did you realise how powerful that Curaga spell would be?”

Noctis shrugged, making it look nonchalant. “My leg hurt. A lot. And raw magic isn’t my strength.”

“I’m rather glad for it this time,” Ignis said. “I feel much better.”

“Good.” With his leg finally free, Noctis swung it over the side of the bed. Cautious, he put his weight on it. He breathed out when the limb held. He met Ignis’ concerned gaze. “I’m okay.” He reached up and gripped Ignis’ shoulder. “Everyone’s okay.”

Ignis nodded. “Good. Come and eat. Wiz has been exceedingly generous to us.”

Stomach growling, Noctis accompanied Ignis. When the others returned a few hours later, they found Ignis sipping an Ebony, reading the newspaper, while Noctis restocked their curatives.

“Did you see the car?” Noctis asked, storing the newly created Hi-Elixirs in the Armiger. He wiped a smattering of swear from his brow. His heart fluttered in his chest. “How bad is it?”

“It’s not good,” Gladio said.  

Noctis hadn’t really taken much notice of just how bad it was last night. He’d been in too much pain. “Did you take any photos?”

Gladio shook his head. “Thought I’d spare you the pain.” He glanced at Ignis. “You might not believe me, but you actually made us crash the best way possible. If you’d panicked, we would’ve gone off the road and slamming into the trees.”

“That’s kind of you to say,” Ignis said.

“Ain’t me saying it. Cindy said so.”

“Then she is also too kind.”

“And right!” Prompto said. “She’s the mechanical angel expert after all.”

Gladio rolled his eyes. “She’s sure she can fix it.”

Noctis hoped so. He remembered how the car and crumpled around them. How would Cindy fix that? Still, he had to have faith in her. If she said she could fix it, she could fix it.

“Isn’t she the greatest?” Prompto asked, smiling and blushing. “You really have to admire that kind of dedication.”

Noctis smiled at his lovesick friend.

“I suggest we use our time to take on some hunts, earn some additional funds to pay for the repairs, and help out Wiz to repay his kindness,” Ignis said.

“Sounds good to me,” Noctis said.

“You sure your leg’s okay?” Gladio asked.

“All good,” Noctis said. He looked at his friends. “We’re all good.”

“Right!” Prompto agreed.

“Yup,” Gladio said.

“I understand, thank you,” Ignis said. “But perhaps the hunting could wait until dawn? Give ourselves one more evening to be sure we’re all healed?”

“Dawn?” Noctis asked. “Does it have to be dawn?”

“Unless you wanna ride chocobos to your wedding, yeah, it’s gonna be dawn,” Gladio said. “The earlier we’re up, the more hunts we can take and the more money we can earn.”

“I bet Lady Lunafreya loves chocobos, right, Noct?” Prompto asked, grinning. “Maybe you could arrive at the wedding in a chocobo-drawn carriage.”

“Just like in all those fairy-tales you used to read,” Gladio said.

“There’s nothing wrong with fairy-tales,” Ignis said.

“Oh, oh, is it the one about the chocobo carriage that came to find the princess in the desert after she’d been marooned there by her evil step-father?” Prompto asked.

Gladio stared at Prompto. “You know it too?”

“Yeah! It’s a great story! I liked the bit when the princess climbed on top of the carriage and fought off the highwaymen. She’s a total badass. Just like Lady Lunafreya, right?”

Noctis smiled. “Just like Luna,” he said.

“Let’s hope she doesn’t have to rely on magical chocobo carriages to come and save her,” Ignis said.

“Nah, she’s got Umbra and Pryna,” Noctis said. “She’ll be fine.”

“Huh. Do you think they can tug a carriage?” Prompto asked.

“Given that they are Messengers, I’d say pulling carriages is well within their capabilities,” Ignis said.

“She got them to pull my wheelchair when I was a kid,” Noctis said. He smiled at the memory of racing down the corridors, Luna squeezed next to him in the chair. They’d laughed so much, Noctis still remembered the ache in his sides. “They’re good dogs.”

“Okay, so dog-drawn carriage,” Prompto said. “I solemnly swear to take the greatest photos.”

“Sure, why not,” Noctis said.

“Umbra and Pryna are so eager to please,” Ignis said.

Gladio stared at the three of them. “Are we seriously having this conversation or do the three of you still have head injuries?”

Noctis and Prompto burst into laughter. Even Ignis managed a chuckle.

Gladio just shook his head. “I wonder about you three sometimes,” he muttered.

They spent the rest of the evening relaxing and resting. Noctis kept a close eye on Ignis, but his friend seemed better than before.  And Gladio and Prompto were both fully healed too. Relief filled him to the brim until he thought it would tip over and make him cry with joy. He would not, could not, lose his friends on this journey.

If they could survive a car crash and a Bandersnatch, Noctis was sure they could survive anything.

**Author's Note:**

> See you all next week for more!
> 
> Thank you all again for your continued support. I appreciate every kudos and comment <3


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